Since weathering the rise and fall of some for-profit online colleges, distance education is now an accepted and important option for students who need to balance the responsibilities of work and family. Public and private colleges across the country understand that online classrooms have opened up access to students who may have thought college was out of reach. With a growing marketplace, however, prospective students now face the challenge of choosing a program that meets their needs.

Late last year, BestColleges.com surveyed over 300 administrators and 1,500 students to gain more insight into the online education experience. These surveys were used to create this 2017 Student Guide to Online Education. The report serves to help students:

• Decide if online education is the right choice for them.
• Understand what to expect from an online program.
• Choose the best online program to meet their needs